Integrated end-bus plate for fuel cell

Abstract

An integrated end-bus plate for fuel cell stack includes main plate body and a conducting plate. The main plate body is made of corrosion resistant and non-conducting material, which inner side has at least a contacting surface provided for flatly in contact with one side of the fuel cell unit attached adjacent to the main plate body. The conducting plate which is made of electro-conducting material is integrally attached to an inner side of the main plate body to form an integrated body for electrically communicating with the reaction region of the fuel cell unit. The integrated end-bus plate is designed to overcome the conventional drawbacks including the fluid leaking between the end plate and the bus plate and the formation of metallic ions due to the electrochemical corrosion of the bus plate that generally results in causing damages to the fuel cell.

1. An integrated end-bus plate for a fuel cell stack having one or more fuel cell units each having a reaction region on each side thereof, wherein said integrated end-bus plate comprises:
 a main plate body, which is made of corrosion resistant and electrical non-conducting material, having an outer side, an inner side having at least a contacting surface adapted for being flatly in contact with one side of the fuel cell unit attached adjacent to said main plate body, and a receiving groove which is indented in a middle portion and extended from one end to another end of said inner side thereof, wherein said main plate body provides one or more manifolds extended from said outer side to said contacting surface of said inner side of said main plate body; and 
 a conducting plate, which is made of electro-conducting material, being integrally attached to said inner side of said main plate body to form an integrated body for electrically communicating with the reaction region of the fuel cell unit positioned adjacent to said main plate body while said contacting surface of said main plate body remains in contact with the respective adjacent fuel cell unit, wherein said conducting plate is embedded in said receiving groove providing a conducting surface facing out, wherein said contacting surface of said main plate body and said conducting surface of said conducting plate are on the same plane. 
 
   
   
     2. The integrated end-bus plate, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said manifolds are divided into two sets provided at an upper portion above said receiving groove and a lower portion below said receiving groove of said main plate body respectively. 
   
   
     3. The integrated end-bus plate, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said manifolds are formed at corner portions of said main plate body. 
   
   
     4. The integrated end-bus plate, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said main plate body has one or more manifold bases protruded from said contacting surface and said manifolds are formed in said manifold bases and extended therethrough, wherein said conducting plate has a conducting surface facing outside and one or more manifold slots provided therethrough, wherein said manifold slots are shaped and sized to enable said manifold bases of the main plate body to insert therein when said conducting plate is integrally attached to said contacting surface of said main plate body, wherein said conducting surface of said conducting plate and said contacting surface of said main plate body are on the same plane. 
   
   
     5. The integrated end-bus plate, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said manifolds include an oxidant inlet manifold, said coolant inlet manifold, a fuel inlet manifold, an oxidant outlet manifold, a coolant outlet manifold, and a fuel outlet manifold. 
   
   
     6. The integrated end-bus plate, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said manifolds include an oxidant inlet manifold, said coolant inlet manifold, a fuel inlet manifold, an oxidant outlet manifold, a coolant outlet manifold, and a fuel outlet manifold. 
   
   
     7. The integrated end-bus plate, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said manifolds include an oxidant inlet manifold, said coolant inlet manifold, a fuel inlet manifold, an oxidant outlet manifold, a coolant outlet manifold, and a fuel outlet manifold. 
   
   
     8. The integrated end-bus plate, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said conducting plate, which has a corresponding size with respect to said receiving groove of said main plate body, further comprises one or more electric terminal arms extended outwardly from two ends thereof for functioning as an anode and a cathode of an external electric circuit and output electric current from the fuel cell units stacked to construct an external electric circuit. 
   
   
     9. The integrated end-bus plate, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said conducting plate further comprises one or more electric terminal arms extended outwardly from two ends thereof for functioning as an anode and a cathode of an external electric circuit and output electric current from the fuel cell units stacked to construct an external electric circuit. 
   
   
     10. The integrated end-bus plate, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said conducting plate further comprises one or more electric terminal arms extended outwardly from two ends thereof for functioning as an anode and a cathode of an external electric circuit and output electric current from the fuel cell units stacked to construct an external electric circuit. 
   
   
     11. The integrated end-bus plate, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said conducting plate further comprises one or more electric terminal arms extended outwardly from two ends thereof for functioning as an anode and a cathode of an external electric circuit and output electric current from the fuel cell units stacked to construct an external electric circuit. 
   
   
     12. The integrated end-bus plate, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said conducting plate further comprises one or more electric terminal arms extended outwardly from two ends thereof for functioning as an anode and a cathode of an external electric circuit and output electric current from the fuel cell units stacked to construct an external electric circuit. 
   
   
     13. The integrated end-bus plate, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said conducting plate and said receiving groove are in hexagonal shape so as to increase said conducting surface by extending a top and a bottom thereof to a top side and a bottom side of said main plate body respectively. 
   
   
     14. The integrated end-bus plate, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said conducting plate and said receiving groove are in hexagonal shape so as to increase said conducting surface by extending a top and a bottom thereof to a top side and a bottom side of said main plate body respectively. 
   
   
     15. The integrated end-bus plate, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said conducting plate and said receiving groove are in hexagonal shape so as to increase said conducting surface by extending a top and a bottom thereof to a top side and a bottom side of said main plate body respectively. 
   
   
     16. The integrated end-bus plate, as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said conducting plate and said receiving groove are in hexagonal shape so as to increase said conducting surface by extending a top and a bottom thereof to a top side and a bottom side of said main plate body respectively.